The invention herein relates to the field of universal joints and more particularly to constant velocity universal joints.
It is known in the prior art (as, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,870) to have a universal joint with three trunnion members mounted at an acute angle on a driving shaft and having partial ball members rotationally and slidably mounted thereon and received in cooperating grooves on the driven shaft, the grooves also extending at an acute angle with respect to the shafts to provide a constant velocity universal joint. It has been recognized in this type of universal joint that the trunnions mounting the partial ball members are subject to distortion under torque load since the outer ends thereof are unsupported and torque is applied thereto only at the inner end where connected to the driving shaft.
Copending application Ser. No. 637,902 filed Dec. 12, 1975 of common assignee describes an improvement in the above joint structure wherein there is no distortion under substantial torque loads, because the outer or remote ends of the trunnions are supported.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a constant velocity universal joint of the type described above wherein proper support for the trunnions is provided to prevent distortion and wherein the inherent weakness in a joint of the type described above in the central part of the grooved member adjacent its shaft due to the relatively thin section of metal at the inner terminus of the grooves is obviated.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a universal joint of the type described wherein greater angular displacement between driving and driven shafts may be accommodated while maintaining full torque capacity through the joint.